Denver Junk Removal · Resource Center
How to Get Rid of a Box Spring in Denver
A box spring is somehow more of a pain than the mattress — you can’t fold it, bag it, or fit it in a car. Here’s every way to get rid of one in Denver, from free city pickup to same-day haul-away.
Box springs are a uniquely annoying thing to dispose of: a wood frame wrapped in fabric and stapled together, too rigid to flatten and too big for a sedan. And like mattresses, you can’t just leave one at the curb for regular trash pickup in Denver. Here’s how to actually get rid of it.
Your options, ranked
| Option | Cost | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Large Item Pickup | Free | By appointment, city-trash homes only — and it’s slow (a set schedule, five-item cap) |
| Mattress recycler | Free / small fee | You haul it there yourself during their hours |
| Donation | Free | Most charities won’t take a used box spring |
| Same-day junk pickup | Flat fee | Easiest — we carry it out from any floor, mattress and frame too |
Denver’s standard curbside collection won’t take a box spring. It goes through the city’s separate Large Item Pickup program instead — or you handle it yourself. Setting it out on the curb otherwise can earn you an illegal-dumping ticket.
Want it gone today — box spring, mattress, and frame?
Denver’s free Large Item Pickup
If you’re a Denver resident on city trash service, Large Item Pickup will take a box spring for free — you schedule an appointment and set it out on your collection day. The trade-offs: it runs on a set schedule (not same-day), caps you at a handful of items per pickup, and it’s households on city service only — apartments, condos with private haulers, and businesses aren’t eligible. Great if you’re in no hurry; not great if you need the room back this week.
Recycling a box spring
Here’s the good news: a box spring is one of the more recyclable things in your bedroom. Strip it down and it’s mostly wood (the frame), steel (the springs or grid), and fabric — all of which a mattress recycler can separate and recover instead of landfilling. Many mattress recyclers accept box springs right alongside mattresses. If keeping it out of the dump matters to you, ask the recycler (or your hauler) to route it that way — we send what we can to recyclers rather than straight to the landfill.
Why box springs are a pain to DIY
- They don’t fold or compress. The rigid wood frame means it’s the same bulky size no matter what — no bagging it up small.
- They don’t fit in a car. A standard box spring won’t go in a sedan or most SUVs, so hauling it yourself usually means renting a truck.
- They’re awkward on stairs. Light but big and unwieldy — a genuine two-person job down a staircase or through a tight apartment hallway.
- The staples. If you try to break one down, expect a lot of staples and stapled fabric. Most people decide it’s not worth it.
Same-day box spring removal
The simplest option is to let us grab it. We do same-day mattress and box spring removal across the Denver metro — we carry it out from any floor (basement, walk-up, tight stairwell), take the bed frame in the same trip, and route what we can to recyclers. You don’t lift a thing, and we quote a flat price up front. If you’d rather explore the no-cost routes first, our free mattress disposal guide for Denver covers those in detail.
Box spring disposal FAQs
Does Denver take box springs?
Not in regular curbside trash, but yes through the city’s free Large Item Pickup program (by appointment, for households on city trash service). Apartments and homes with private haulers aren’t eligible, and it runs on a set schedule rather than same-day.
Can I put a box spring on the curb?
Only as part of a scheduled Large Item Pickup. Leaving it out with the regular trash isn’t allowed in Denver and can result in an illegal-dumping fine.
Can you recycle a box spring?
Yes — box springs are mostly wood, steel, and fabric, and mattress recyclers can separate and recover those materials. Many take box springs alongside mattresses, so a lot of them can be kept out of the landfill.
How much does it cost to remove a box spring?
A single-item junk-removal pickup typically starts around $99, with the exact flat price depending on size, floor, and whether you’re adding the mattress and frame. Denver’s Large Item Pickup is free if you can wait for the schedule.
Do you take the mattress and bed frame too?
Yes — box spring, mattress, headboard, and frame all in the same trip. Just let us know when you book so we can quote one flat price for the whole set.
Box spring gone today
Same-day pickup across the Denver metro — box spring, mattress, and frame, carried out from any floor. We route what we can to recyclers. Free quote, flat price up front.